Lori Jean Bolger:1976, Elgin, Illinois

   Lori Jean Bolger was born on April 23rd 1960. Easter Sunday was on April 17th that year. So Lori came into the world with Spring flowers and blossoming trees. Her mother was Jeanette E. DuMoulin Bolger (later Collins) and James Paul Bolger. Terrence, Lawrence, and Tina were her siblings. Lori was the youngest. 

  On the 13th of June in 1976, Lori’s father passed away after a long illness. 

   Lori had been taking a summer course for driver’s education. She was making up work because she had missed several classes during the regular school year because she, quite understandably, wanted to be by her father’s side as much as possible before he passed away.

  She had the opportunity to re-take those classes in order to get her driver’s license. On Tuesday, June 22nd she was dropped off at Larkin High School by her older sister. After class, she was last seen hitchhiking for a ride home. She was planning to go straight home and then meet friends at a local quarry to swim that afternoon. 

  Lori Jean Bolger didn’t make it home or to the quarry to swim.

  Lori was found the next day near the Elgin Township Estates Sewage Treatment Plant near Randall and Hopps Roads in South Elgin. At that time the plant was surrounded by cornfields and was an isolated area. She had been sexually assaulted and beaten severely about the head. This severe head trauma caused her death. 

   

   Lori’s family buried her next to her father. 

   One suspect that I think police should consider is Bruce Everitt Lindahl. He was a serial killer active in the area at that time. In January 1976 he murdered Pamela Mauer in Lisle, Illinois. He abducted, assaulted and murdered her one evening and left her body by the side of the road. He strangled Pamela Mauer, but he also killed other victims in other ways so just because Pamela was strangled and Lori was bludgeoned to death doesn’t mean they can’t have the same killer.

   Lindahl died in 1981 in the act of killing another victim. This victim was male and his name is Charles Huber. Bruce Lindahl was straddling this victim and stabbing him repeatedly. The victim was fighting back and this caused Bruce to stab himself in the thigh and cut his femoral artery and he died from blood loss on top of the victim who also died from blood loss. 

Bruce Lindahl is suspected in many other murders. Based on the proximity of this killing Lori in Elgin, I would definitely look at Bruce E. Lindahl.

   But there are so many other killers in the 1970s in the Midwest. This could just be someone who saw a young girl and picked her up as she was hitching a ride. That perpetrator decided to sexually assault her and didn’t want her to be able to tell who had sexually assaulted her. 

  Hopefully there is evidence in this case that was preserved. Hopefully testing will take place soon and Lori‘s family will finally have answers.

  I hope investigators take a look at Bruce Lindahl. I’ll be submitting a tip to investigators in Lori Bolger‘s case. More than likely they’re already considering Lindahl. 

   Lori Jean Bolger was just a girl. She was going through a terribly sad and traumatic time in life with the loss of her father. She was still trying to do her best in school by finishing the classes she had missed. She was still trying to enjoy life and planned to ease her grief by spending time with her friends that day. She hoped to get her driver’s license and likely get a job. She had hopes and dreams that she never got to realize. 

   

   Rest in peace Lori.